The Tascam X-48 MkII goes beyond mere standalone recorders with a built-in, automated 48-channel digital mixer and powerful editing functions. Plug in a VGA monitor, mouse and keyboard for editing, track naming and monitor mixing making it the ultimate multi-track solution for premium quality music, post and live recording applications.
It boasts up to 96kHz/24-bit recording across all 48 tracks. Its file compatibility and synchronisation surpass even the TEC Award-winning MX-2424, with native Broadcast WAVE audio file support and AAF export for compatibility with workstations like Pro Tools®, Nuendo and Logic. Support for eSATA hard drives and Gigabit Ethernet allows simple transfer between systems, making it the ultimate multitrack solution for high-quality music, post and live recording applications.
Yet the Tascam X-48 MkII goes beyond mere standalone recorders – its built-in, automated 48-channel digital mixer, VGA display output, powerful editing functions and DVD+RW backup drive transform it into a complete integrated workstation.
Multitrack Recording Features:
- 1TB internal hard drive
- eSATA and USB interfaces
- 48-hour continuous recording @44.1kHz
- 20-hour continuous recording @96kHz
- Dual-core Intel ATOM processor
- HDTV tri-level sync
- Recording past 00:00 (24 hours)
- 48-track digital recording at up to 96kHz/24-bit
- 32-bit floating point audio file recording and playback with no loss of track count
- Advanced integrated synchronisation and machine control, including HDTV tri-level sync
- Time-stamped Broadcast WAVE file format
- Front-panel transport, track arming, project management and metering functions
- Built-in DVD+RW for backup, transfer and restore
Workstation/Mixing Features:
- GUI for recording, mixing, editing and metering
- ±6% varispeed
- Grid-style editing
- Turn-key operation: no software conflicts to troubleshoot
- Graphic user interface for editing, mixing and meters
- 48-channel mixing
- 32-bit floating point mixer resolution
- 6 stereo returns (60 total inputs at mixdown)
- 12 stereo groups, 6 aux sends, stereo master buss
- Full dynamic automation
- Dynamics, 4-band parametric EQ and 6 aux sends per channel
Live Recording
The portability of the Tascam X-48 MkII makes it a natural choice for live event and house of worship recording. Its dedicated design gives you extra reliability for those occasions when there aren’t any second takes. The optional IF-AN24X analogue input card offers 24 high-quality balanced analogue inputs, and you can use two cards for 48-track/96kHz recording. AES/EBU and ADAT digital I/O cards are also available, and both the analogue and digital I/O can be used simultaneously for monitoring.
The rear panel contains an eSATA connection for connecting more hard drives for extra storage. Since the X-48mkII records Broadcast WAVE files, these recordings can immediately be brought into your favourite DAW for editing and mixing, or you can complete the project “inside the box” with the mixer built into the Tascam X-48 MkII. It also offers 60-channel automated mixing with powerful processing features, allowing you to monitor the show without an external mixer, and/or output a stereo mix to a CD or DVD recorder like our DV-RA1000HD.
Music Tracking
Working with the Tascam X-48 MkII gives you the feel of recording to a purpose-built recorder, instead of an adapted computer workstation, for solid, reliable performance. With all of its synchronisation and control options – like 9-pin control, MIDI control and SMPTE sync – it easily integrates with the rest of the equipment in your studio. When you just want to capture the music, not get bogged down in editing and setup, the X-48mkII helps you keep the session moving quickly to keep your artists creative.
The Tascam X-48 MkII handles 48 tracks of simultaneous 96kHz recording and it keeps up with every punch-in, no matter how fast. Its great-sounding analog converters and inexpensive DVD backup media make it the perfect replacement for aging 24-track recorders. You can record to its built-in 1TB hard drive or to eSATA drives for removable storage.
Once you’ve captured the performance, you can assemble the perfect take using its built-in editing interface. Just plug in a mouse, keyboard and VGA monitor to start editing, looping, or crossfading between takes. If you prefer working in another format, export your session as an AAF file to a workstation like Pro Tools®. Audio tracks on the X-48mkII are also recorded as standard time-stamped Broadcast WAVE files that can be imported into any workstation software, and you can even work in “tape mode,” which creates one audio file per track to make file management between systems easy.
Live Presentation Playback
The Tascam X-48 MkII excels as a playback machine for theatre, live performance and presentation applications. Its Theatre Mode function allows you to play one audio selection at a time, automatically cueing up the next section for instant playback. Designed for theatres playing back sound effects and music selections, Theatre Mode also offers hundreds of creative possibilities for multimedia producers. Whether the project originates on the Tascam X-48 MkII or is imported from a DAW like Pro Tools, cueing the next scene is as simple and reliable as tapping a footswitch.
Synchronisation features like SMPTE, MIDI and RS-422 enable the Tascam X-48 MkII to integrate with multimedia installations. Its 48 tracks of playback easily allow multi-channel surround mixes to be reproduced with astonishing clarity. Integrated editing, mixing and project management allow the engineer to control an entire production from their fingertips.
Project Studio Recording
From the Portastudio to high-end professional solutions, TASCAM is well-known for innovative, all-in-one production workstations integrating recording and mixing in one box. The X-48mkII allows a small studio to combine 48-track, 96kHz/24-bit recording with powerful automated mixing for results never before possible at this price point.
The editing screen of the Tascam X-48 MkII uses a familiar DAW interface, with snap-to-grid editing, crossfade and features professionals’ demand. The internal mixer is a 60-input digital system with 32-bit floating-point resolution. Each channel provides 4-band parametric EQ, dynamics processing, and six aux sends. Best of all, the X-48mkII is configured out of the box for pro audio recording. There’s nothing to install or troubleshoot – just plug it in, turn it on and press record.
